The Mark That Binds
by alyssialui
Summary: This is a collection of drabbles and one-shots connecting the Death Eaters we know from the First Wizarding War. Written for the Connect the Death Eaters challenge. Section: Bellatrix Lestrange. Currently: Wormtail, Rowle, Snape. Also, this collection is gonna get big so don't be scared by the number of chapters to come.
1. Bella - Alecto

_A/N: I joined the Connect the Death Eaters challenge a few months back and I want to give it a good try. This is a collection of drabbles and one-shots connecting the Death Eaters we know from the First Wizarding War. They are unrelated for the most part and I started a few outside of this collection, so I'll just continue._

_Section I: Bellatrix Lestrange_

_This chapter is also a submission for:_

_**Greek Mythology Mega Prompt Challenge: **Empousai – Write about a female murderer that isn't Bellatrix Lestrange_

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><p><strong>Chapter i: Alecto Carrow - There Can Be Only One<strong>

Bellatrix regarded the woman coldly from across the large training room. She was homely looking, wore little to no makeup and carried herself in such a slouching and undignified manner. How could the Dark Lord think that she was worthy enough to be included among their ranks?

The woman twirled her wand in her stubby fingers, causing the crimson spell to burst forth and hit the sheep they were practicing on. The sheep let out a woeful bleat before it fell dead, blood seeping from its ears onto the hardwood floor.

Bella scoffed. Anyone could torture a sheep to death. Bella had done much worse with less effort. This girl didn't deserve to be here. This girl should get out and take her imbecilic brother with her.

Alecto laughed along with her brother and the runt, before she excused herself out of the room, not noticing Bellatrix trailing behind her quietly.

_Some Death Eater. She doesn't even notice that she's being followed_, Bellatrix thought as she shadowed the woman around the dark corner and into another hallway.

Once they were a good distance away from the main room, Bellatrix rushed the short woman and slammed her up against the wall. Bellatrix smiled in delight at the woman's fearful expression. _Ah, to fear is to respect._

"Hello Miss Carrow," Bellatrix said politely. "Where do you think you're going?"

The woman's eyes widened before she glared at the older woman, "I don't think it's any of your concern, Bellatrix."

"Anything that happens around here concerns me. Anything which concerns our Lord concerns me, Carrow," Bellatrix said fiercly. She looked around them and noticed something. "What are you doing in this corridor? You're not allowed here," Bellatrix shouted. This was the corridor which led to their master's private quarters whenever he oversaw their training.

Alecto's fearful look disappeared and she smirked at Bellatrix, "I had something important to say to our Lord, something I'm sure he'd like to hear from my own mouth."

Bellatrix drew her wand quickly and jabbed it into the woman's meaty neck. She said silkily, "You must be mistaken, Carrow. No one visits the Dark Lord in his private chambers under any circumstances."

The woman let out a wheezing laugh which grated on Bellatrix's ears. She said haughtily, "You're not the only bloodthirsty female within the ranks anymore. A lot has changed since you were gone, Bellatrix."

"I was waiting diligently for the Dark Lord's return, preaching his beliefs and-" Bellatrix began to defend.

"What could you have done to help him from the inside, Bella?" Alecto interrupted. "While you were wasting away in Azkaban, I was carrying out our Lord's bidding."

"You were cowering in your hovel like the filth you are!" Bellatrix snarled. "You never believed in him like I did. You never breathed the Dark Arts like I did. You will never be better than I am, Carrow!" she screamed, punctuating each sentence with another jab of her wand in the woman's flesh.

The woman swallowed thickly, eyeing the wand warily but she continued to speak despite the fear that was seeping back into her body. "You're getting older, Bellatrix. The Dark Lord has a desire for new blood," she said, a slight implication in her tone.

Bellatrix eyes crossed in rage, "The Dark Lord would never lie with someone as horrid and unappealing as you, Carrow."

The woman shrugged, "All men have urges, Bellatrix, and all men like what's new. It won't matter what I look like as long as I am willing."

Bellatrix stepped back from the woman, her chest heaving. Alecto smirked thinking she had won. She jeered, "You're losing your touch, Bellatrix. It's time to let go. It's time-"

The woman said nothing more as Bellatrix levelled her wand with her heart and shouted "Crucio!" with as much hatred and venom as she could muster.

Bellatrix felt a sick kind of joy as she watched the round woman thrash on the floor, her screams ripping from her throat. Her arms bent at odd angles as she took sharp painful breaths. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her screams soon turned into garbled noises.

Bellatrix stopped the spell and the woman's body fell still. Bellatrix wrinkled her nose in disgust as the sour smell of urine assaulted her nostrils. Her rapidly convulsing muscles must have caused her to relieve her bladder on the hallway floor. Bellatrix strode forward and bent down low to the woman's face. There was the slight tickle of breath on Bellatrix's skin letting her know she hadn't killed the woman. Her Lord still wouldn't want her dead.

Bellatrix whispered clearly into woman's ear, "This is your first and only warning, Carrow." She spat on the woman's face before exiting the hallway and heading back to the training room.


	2. Bella - Antonin

_A/N: Bellatrix and Dolohov are partners on a mission._

_Also a submission for:_

_**The Lottery Competition: **blood, Auror, Lucius Malfoy, dance, casualty_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

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><p><strong>Chapter ii: Antonin Dolohov - A Hasty Retreat<strong>

Bellatrix sneered as she sat around the large table next to Dolohov. The Dark Lord had ordered a raid of a muggle town and Lucius was going over the plans. He was droning on and on about secrecy and subtly. Bellatrix just wanted to get on with it, storm the place, set it on fire and spill as much blood as possible.

He was always a righteous stickler for rules, but it seemed he had a sense of humour tonight. Lucius decided that everyone should pair up like little kids on a trip to the zoo and somehow thought it would be a brilliant idea to put her and Dolohov together.

She could see why Lucius would pair them together. Dolohov was skilled in the Dark Arts, Bellatrix had to admit. Even she would be impressed, if not for his lack of a brain otherwise. She turned to the man on her right who was currently regarding Lucius and his maps and diagrams with a confused expression. He more than likely had no idea what was being said and it would be up to Bellatrix to save both their arses. What a pitiful excuse for a man.

Lucius finished explaining and now they could finally go. Bellatrix jumped from her seat and strode out the room, not even bothering to wait for Doholov as she walked beyond the anti-Apparation wards. He was at least smart enough to apparate to the location, right?

Bellatrix appeared in a dark, alley near the outskirts of the town, right where Lucius had placed her crimson dot on his large map. She was walking towards the mouth of the alley when there was a crack behind her. She whipped around quickly to see the man leering at her.

"Do you want to tell everyone we're here!" Bellatrix screeched.

Dolohov winced at her volume before saying, "You don't have a problem doing it."

Bellatrix fumed and said, "Just listen to what I say and don't muck things up tonight."

Dolohov offered her a mock bow and said, "As you wish, milady," before he pushed past her and walked out into the open with his wand held out. This was going to be a long night.

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><p>"Dolohov!" Bellatrix shrieked as she danced about the flames that consumed the house before her. She saw the man a few feet away standing above a pile of bodies. He looked up at his name and gave her a scowl. "Stop standing around and continue the mission!"<p>

"Let me enjoy some of the spoils, Bellatrix," he said with a grin as he made a slashing motion above the corpse. A strange purple light issued from his wand and hit the pile. A loud scream wrenched from the woman Bellatrix thought was dead before blood poured from her mouth.

"Dolohov!" Bellatrix screamed. As much as she loved torturing Muggles, they were running out of time. The longer they stayed here, the more likely they were to get the attention of Aurors.

Dolohov then trained his wand on her, "Then you continue with the mission, Bellatrix, instead of calling on me."

Bellatrix held her wand towards him as well. "You dare point your wand at me!" she threatened.

"If it would get you to shut up for once!" he screamed back.

Bellatrix could feel the rage building within her. She had wanted an excuse to curse this man for a long time and this could easily be written off as a casualty.

Bellatrix was about to call out a spell when there was a series of pops around them. The Aurors. Bellatrix whirled around quickly to take out the two closest to her, while Dolohov took down another. That still left three of them around her.

"Dolohov!" she called out as she grappled with one. She needed him to cover her in case one of the others decided to-

There was a stinging sensation on the back of her spine. She felt all her muscles freeze in place as the sensation spread across her body. She fell to ground with a painful thud.

Her wand was ripped out of her hands as she was turned onto her back. She stared up into the ugly face of the Aurors, the fire in her eyes burning like the blazing house nearby.

"Did you get the other one?" an Auror asked.

"Apparated, Sir," he answered.

_That coward! That deserter!_ Bellatrix screamed in her head, uncaring that now she had been captured by the Aurors. She would get away, she didn't know how, but when she did, Dolohov would pay.


	3. Bella - Amycus

_A/N: Bellatrix shows Amycus that she's no ordinary woman. Amycus is said to be fond of torturing his victims, rude and arrogant, a coward and kind of stupid. Let's see what Bellatrix does to someone like him._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

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><p><strong>Chapter iii: Amycus Carrow - No Ordinary Woman<strong>

Amycus laughed as he struck the Muggle woman with another Cruciatus curse, releasing another scream from her already raw throat. She lay in an ever-growing pool of blood as she rolled upon the ground in pain. Bellatrix watched the scene boredly. The man had been doing this for ten minutes now, and it had been entertaining at first but Bellatrix couldn't take it anymore. She spat at the man, "Just kill her already and be done with it!"

The man's wand fell, halting the spell and allowing the Muggle woman a few gurgling breaths. He glared over at the dark-haired witch. "You have your pleasures, I have mine."

"We have more important things to do today than to drive a worthless Muggle mad," Bellatrix said, gesturing to the babbling woman on the floor. "The meeting is supposed to commence within the hour and there are preparations to be made for the Dark Lord's arrival."

"A few more minutes won't change that. I'm sure the others have already started if it's so important," Amycus said.

"That's not the point, Amycus. Things need to be done to perfection. Everyone must be there to get ready," Bellatrix insisted.

"Then you can go and oversee the others. I'll be there in a minute," Amycus said dismissively, oblivious to the growing rage within the dark-haired woman.

Amycus cast the spell again and laughed as the woman's screams bounced of the stone walls. Bellatrix fumed at being dismissed before drawing her own wand. She would end this for her own sanity.

She pointed her wand at the bloody Muggle woman thrashing on the floor. "Avada Kedavra," she hissed, causing a bright green light to strike the woman, instantly halting all sounds.

"I was playing," Amycus said like a petulant child.

"Oh boo hoo," Bellatrix mocked. "Now clean this mess up. We must be going."

"You do it. Cleaning is a woman's job," Amycus said as he began walking towards the door leading out of the holding cells, and showing his back to the unstable woman.

"Levicorpus!" Bellatrix shouted, hanging the man up by his ankle. She levitated him over to float before her. She could see the fear in his eyes as he realized what he had said and who he had said it to.

"What did you just say?" Bellatrix asked.

Amycus shuddered, "I'm sorry, Bellatrix. I didn't mean it. I wasn't thinking when I-"

"Of course you weren't thinking, Carrow. You never do, but I have a feeling you did mean it," Bellatrix said.

She leaned in close and pressed her wand up against his cheek, admiring the way his face was turning red as the blood rushing downwards. "Since you've obviously forgotten, let me remind you. I am not an ordinary woman. I do not clean and I do not take orders from anyone."

She traced the wand up from his cheek and across his neck, causing him to swallow. She smiled sweetly as she said, "I could slice you open right now without batting an eyelid."

She laughed madly before she added, "But I won't, only because the Dark Lord wants you alive to be placed at Hogwarts."

She released the spell and Amycus fell unceremoniously onto his head on the stone floor. She kicked him before she said, "Now clean up this mess and then join me back upstairs," and left the groaning man alone with the corpse.


	4. Bella - Barty Crouch Jr

_A/N: Bellatrix faces off against the newly-branded Death Eater, Barty Crouch Jr._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

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><p><strong>Chapter iv: Barty Crouch Jr - The Initiation<strong>

"Rise, Crouch," the Dark Lord said as the little runt's screams faded to whimpers. He was still bent on his knee before the Dark Lord as his other followers formed a sea of black around them. Their silver masks broke the monotony of the darkness, those of the inner circle's sporting more intricate details and patterns. Bellatrix sneered beneath hers at how easily the tears came to the boy's eyes as the Mark burned into his skin. So weak.

He was Crouch's son, the white sheep turned black. It was a dramatic tale of spurned affections from his father that drove him to a life of blood and murder. To Bellatrix, that wasn't a good enough reason. He was still weak and lacked any magical ability to speak of. He wasn't fit to even be in the same room as her Lord. But the Dark Lord saw something in the boy that she couldn't and as his most faithful and loyal follower, she would not question his decisions.

"Bellatrix!" her Lord said once the boy was one his feet.

She stood up a bit straighter and said, "Yes, my Lord?"

"It is time to test our newest member," he said with a grin. There were chuckles around the room and Bellatrix smiled. She was going to enjoy teaching the little runt just want he had gotten himself into by disobeying daddy.

The Dark Lord moved back as Bellatrix stepped forward. She took off her mask and her large outer robe and faced the young boy whose eyes widened upon recognition. It seemed her reputation preceded her.

"Draw your wand, Crouch, and defend yourself," the Dark Lord ordered. "Begin," he said airily.

Bellatrix did not hesitate. The runt barely had time to raise his wand before she sent a nasty blasting curse towards his head. He ducked in time, causing the spell to blast a chunk of the wall behind them.

The runt sent a few spells her way, simple stunners and charms, which she easily deflected. This boy thought she was playing. Bellatrix would show him 'playing'.

She sent two more spells in succession, causing the boy to dive to the right before he sent another stunner towards her. She barely moved an inch before she fired another spell straight his chest.

The spell threw him onto his back, knocking the air out of his lungs. She laughed before she stalked up to him. The others around her joined in. Pathetic.

But then he aimed his wand up at her from the ground and sent a jet of flames towards her. They flew over her shoulder as she leaned out of the way, the ends of her wild hair getting slightly singed, and her long sleeve slightly scorched. In her slight distraction, he was able to get to his feet.

She fumed. Well that was unexpected. The others around her jeered the runt, though some seemed to be directed at her. She would not be made a fool of by this runt who got lucky.

She fired her own jet of fire at the boy, who cast a protection charm around him. The invisible shield broke the flames, dispersing the heat around the edges as she continued the stream. The temperature in the room rose, she could see the sweat on the boy's brow and feel the drops on her own, but she would not stop. She would break this boy.

There was a flicker before the shield broke and the flames swallowed the boy. He fell onto the floor screaming as he tried to pat them out, his face red from the burns he already received.

But Bellatrix wouldn't grant him any reprieve. She aimed her wand and hissed her favourite spell, "Crucio."

The boy's scream got louder and longer as his muscles spasmed. His eyes rolled as he smacked against the stone floor painfully, his thrashing putting out the flames on his body better than he ever could. Small cuts were beginning to appear on his skin as blood oozed out and created a puddle under the boy. The Death Eaters watched in fascination as Bellatrix held out the spell. She was enjoying herself. She was enjoying the way his blood paint the stone and the sound of his screams bouncing in her brain.

"Enough!" the Dark Lord cried, holding out his arm to signal the end of the fight.

Bellatrix's wand fell to her side. She bowed her head to her Lord, grinning underneath her curtain of hair from the high of spilt blood. She had showed the runt his place.

"Now, that our newest member has been properly seasoned, we can all retire for the night," the Dark Lord said.

As everyone filed out, they all commented and sneered at the small boy who now lay moaning on the floor. His blood still continued to leak out of his open wounds.

When it was just the two of them left, Bellatrix walked forward and stared down into the runt's face. She said softly, "I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into, boy, because daddy can't save you now."


	5. Bella - Karkaroff

_A/N: Bella has a heart to heart with Karkaroff._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

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><p><strong>Chapter v: Igor Karkaroff - Not Your Bella<strong>

He was staring at her again, the foreigner. She had come into the training room to blow off some steam when he walked in a few moments afterwards. She paid no mind to him as she was so caught up in perfecting her aim, but then she felt... watched. At first she thought she was mistaken, but she should have known she would never mistake something so blatant. He was staring at her just like he had been since they had first met.

When he had first joined their ranks, she had been very interested in his abilities. As a previous student of Durmstrang, his knowledge of the Dark Arts was vast. There were things he could possibly teach her that even she hadn't known. However, after their first conversation, she realized his interests in her laid outside of any lessons.

She wanted nothing to do with the man. He looked seedy, even for someone like her, and he was always looking at her as if he was imagining things with her. She shuddered even thinking about it. She told no one else about this. She could handle a foolish man's affections.

"Is something the matter, Karkaroff?" she asked in annoyance. All noises in the room had stopped minutes ago and it was obvious he wasn't here to train like she was.

He shook his head and said coyly, "Not at all, Ms Black."

"It's Lestrange," she said through gritted teeth. She hadn't been called 'Black' in years, and she knew he had made the 'mistake' purposely.

"Oh, my apologies. I just hardly see you around your husband that it sometimes slips my mind," he said with a wide toothy grin.

She fumed silently, imagining all the horrible things she could be doing to him if he didn't turn away right at this moment.

"Where is Mr Lestrange?" he asked as he waved his wand about nonchalantly.

"Business to attend to in the South," Bellatrix said as she turned away from the man. Maybe she could bore him out of the conversation.

"Pity he would leave such a beautiful woman behind all by herself. I would never do that if you were mine," Karkaroff said slyly.

Bellatrix frowned and then turned back to the man. She would end all this frivolous 'flirting'.

"Oh really? Come closer, Igor. I have something to tell you," she said sweetly.

He smiled at her and approached slowly. He said in a low voice, "Yes, my sweet Bella?"

She pressed her body close to his and placed a hand against his stomach. He grinned down at her before she noticed him slowly leaning down towards her.

Then he left out a sharp gasp of pain. Bellatrix had withdrew one of the knives she usually kept up her sleeve and pierced the man's stomach. He began to crumple above her but she braced him up on her shoulder. She whispered in his ear, "I am not your Bella, Karkaroff."

She moved and let him fall to the floor, clutching his stomach as blood oozed out of the wound. "I'll send someone in to attend to your wounds."


	6. Bella - Peter

_A/N: Bellatrix's opinion of Peter Pettigrew._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

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><p><strong>Chapter vi: Peter Pettigrew - The Worm<strong>

The Manor was quiet today. There was not much activity going on through the new headquarters and Bellatrix found herself in Lucius' study. She stretched back in the man's comfortable leather chair with her legs on his desk and her hands around the neck of one of his private bottles of alcohol. He really should find a better hiding place for this thing. A glamour at the back of his drawer wasn't very hard to see through.

There was a insistent knock on the door and Bella frowned at the disturbance. She didn't want to be bothered by anyone today. Sometimes Lucius would ghost through the house trying to keep out of the Dark Lord's way and end up in his study. She thought wryly of the mighty Malfoy reduced to a guest in his own home.

The door opened, not to reveal the sight of the tired Malfoy, but the beady-eyed rat. Bella turned her nose up in disgust. She hated him more than Lucius. At least Lucius was cunning, smart and at one time, ruthless and deadly. This man wasn't even fit to polish her boots with his tongue.

"The Dark Lord requests your presence, Bellatrix," he said haughtily. The light from the window caught on his silver hand which he held before him, motioning to her impatiently. Bellatrix wouldn't admit that she slightly jealous of the gift he had received from their Lord. He helped had their Lord regain his strength and sacrificed his own flesh. That could have been Bellatrix, but she had been paying her own sacrifice to the Dark Lord from the confines of Azkaban.

But that made him feel special. He thought he was so much better than her and the others because he was the Dark Lord's personal lapdog. He called the meetings to order and retrieve those that the Dark Lord wanted to speak to. He was nothing more than a servant but he thought he was above them all.

Instead of hurrying, Bellatrix took her time to remove her legs from the desk, replace Lucius' bottle and walk towards her messenger. The Dark Lord may be a very important man, but she was not one to take orders from a snivelling rat.

When she reached the doorway, she made to pounce on him, her hands extended into claws ready to pierce him, but stopping at the last minute. He flinched, his hands instinctively coming up to block his face. His eyes were wide with terror as he whimpered. She just laughed cruelly and walked past him without a second glance, finding pleasure in knowing he still feared her as he should.


	7. Bella - Rowle

_A/N: Rowle challenges Bellatrix to a duel during a Death Eater training session, but when things take a turn for the worst, who will save our dear Bella from being beaten._

_Submission for:_

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): **Herbology Assignment #8 - Write about being in some kind of conflict with a Death Eater._

_**The Pokemon Journey Challenge: **Write about a Death Eater training session_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

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><p><strong>Chapter vii: Thorfinne Rowle - Revenge<strong>

It was another training day to hone their skills. Bellatrix gazed lazily around the room at the others. Her husband and brother-in-law were chatting idly in the corner, having already completed their session. Regulus was sparring with Snape on the other side of the room and actually holding his own, before Snape cast a spell on his exposed neck and sent him to the floor. Bella's eyes fell on the runt, the newest recruit, young Barty, who was standing by himself. She smiled to herself. Time to have some more fun with the little wimp.

"Bellatrix!" someone called to her.

She turned to face Rowle. He was a large man with more brawn than brain. He strode up to her, looking at her through the strands of blonde hair that fell into his eyes.

"Ready for another beating, Rowle?" Bellatrix said with a laugh. The last time they had sparred, Bellatrix had taken to him to his knees begging for mercy. It wasn't much different from the other times they had dueled, but the last time she had utterly embarrassed him in front of the others.

But instead of cowering or shrinking back like others usually did to her taunts, he gave her an unsettling smirk. "I think this time it will be the other way around, my dear."

Bellatrix pursed her lips but gave him a slight nod as she readied her wand. Bellatrix was not one to back down from a fight, especially against someone so cocky as Rowle. If he wanted another beating, he'd get one.

The other Death Eaters had heard Rowle's words and had stopped what they were doing. Everyone was always eager to watch a fight involving the ruthless Bellatrix and no one knew to get in her way.

The duel began as Bellatrix and Rowle traded various coloured spells at each other. She moved quickly, her breathing coming out in raggged breaths, as she dodged the tall blonde-haired man's attacks while sending some of her own. He had definitely improved from the last time they had trained together. Bellatrix was impressed, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

But as the duel went on, she noticed Rowle's temper flaring. He was giving it all he got while they all knew she wasn't at her full potential. His spells became crazier and wilder, more unpredictable, aiming to maim and tear her flesh off her bones rather than to simply incapacitate as was their rule.

Bellatrix screamed as a bright orange spell whizzed pass her right arm, setting her long sleeve on fire. She quickly aimed a spell to douse to flame, hissing to alleviate the pain from her melting skin. However, in her distraction, Rowle sent a spell to her feet, knocking her flat onto her back. She laid on the ground, her wand held over her head in surrender. The other Death Eaters were shocked. No one had knocked Bellatrix to the ground in a long time.

But Rowle was beyond the point of caring about that. Bellatrix could see it in his eyes. He was out for more than just winning a stupid duel. He was out for blood.

She held her wand before her defensively, but the orange spell was still working its magic on her burnt flesh, causing her wand hand to shake. She knew she would't be able to get a good spell on him.

"Cru-" she began as he said, "Avada K-"

"Expelliarmus!" someone cried from somewhere behind her. Rowle's wand flew out of his hand.

He looked around in confusion but then back to Bellatrix on the floor. He continued to advance upon her with his fists clenched, uncaring that he was now wandless. He still would cause as much damage as possible.

Bellatrix held her want as steadily as possible. "Cru-" she started again but the voice from before shouted, "Stupefy!" The large blonde man fell with a thud a few feet away.

Rodolphus ran forward at the moment to pick up his downed wife, but she quickly shrugged him off, trying to ignore the pain in her arm. Where was he when she was about to be killed or pummelled to the floor?

She shakily picked herself off the floor and looked about the crowd to see the runt's wand aimed at the downed Death Eater, his eyes round as saucers as if he couldnt' believe what he had just done.

The runt saved her? Bellatrix would have to change her opinion of the young Barty.


	8. Bella - Snape

_A/N: Bellatrix goes to the headquarters and meets someone unexpected who helps her blow off some steam. Severus/Bellatrix._

_Submission for:_

_**The Huge Tim Burton Films Quote Challenge!:** "All this talk of blood and slaying has put me off my tea."_

_**The Disney Villains Competition!****: **The Queen of Hearts_

_**Heroes' Hunt (Competition)****: **Write about a character meeting someone/something unexpectedly._

_**The Pokemon Journey Challenge: **"What did you just say to me?"_

_**Non-Canon Fun!****: **Severus/Bellatrix_

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><p><strong>Chapter viii: Severus Snape - Heated Interactions<strong>

Bella extends her right arm, sending a blinding blue light from the end of her wand and decimating the charmed dummy at the end of the room, frowning slightly as the ashes and broken pieces pull themselves together and reform for another hit.

She had come here to the headquarter's training room to expend the remaining fire which burnt under her skin from her earlier disagreement with her husband. There was no love lost between them, that much was sure, as their relationship had been arranged when she was just a young girl, but they remained civil as long as he listened to everything she said. Normally, he was compliant but tonight he had decided to grow a backbone and oppose her. After a small fight of verbal and magical terms, ending very quickly with him lying unconscious on their living room floor sporting a few new bruises and scratches, she had taken herself away. When she returned, he would be grovelling at her feet for forgiveness if he knew what was good for him.

There is a halting sound behind her and she whirls about, her arm still extended and fires a half-aimed spell at the figure who had happened upon her. The intruder, quick on the draw, blocks it wordlessly with a slight wave of his wand, and fixes the woman an impassive look. Bella scowls; there was only one person who could block her spells so effortlessly.

"Snape," she says. Her eyes run over his outline, analysing him in the dim light of the candles near the opening. "I didn't expect anyone would be down by the training room tonight."

"Neither did I," he says. His eyes sweep across the room, taking in the fresh scorch marks on the floor and the slightly battered dummy which has been put together a bit too many times, before landing back on her lone form.

She fixes him a crazed smile and asks, "Does the thought of spilling blood and beheading Muggles help you to destress as well?" She can feel the shiver that runs through his body from her words and her smile widens. "Hearing them scream and beg for their lives always helps me go to sleep, though washing off the blood splatter before bed is always a pain," she adds.

He makes an odd sound of disgust in the back of his throat and says, "All this talk of blood and slaying has put me off my tea."

She turns away from him, cursing his pretentious ways and almighty attitude. She raises her wand again, counting off in her head the number of steps he makes towards her as he finally moves from the doorway. When she reaches four, she fires another spell, the red beam crackling as it flies through the air towards the dummy, its intensity causing it to catch fire.

"Now if only I could do that to my dear Roddy," she says. Her eyes are trained on the dummy, slightly mesmerized by the dancing flames attached to the wooden mannequin. "He would never dare talk back to me again."

"It must be exhausting to live with such an egotistal and controlling nag everyday while trying not to wet himself everyday," the man says from over her left shoulder.

"What did you just say to me?" Bella says, her curly, unrestrained hair whipping wildly around her face as she spins to look into his cold dark eyes. Another man dare question and insult her today?

"The man must be practically cowering in the bathroom as he waits for you to stomp your way through your home in search of him," he says. "What will you do when you get home? A Cruciatus or more physical means?"

There is a teasing tone to his words and Bella's mouth fall open. No matter that what he said was probably likely, the audacity he had to say that to her face is appalling.

She strides up to him and points her wand to his chest. "I could show you what I'll do to him and any man who doesn't show me the proper respect," she says, gritting her teeth.

The man moves her wand away from his chest with the back of his hand, his own wand pointed at her in his other. "I'd love to see you try, Bellatrix, a duel for the ages, though I know you're one to play dirty."

Various spells are on the tip of her tongue, each one more deadly than the last, but she is still aware who she is challenging. Snape was an excellent duelist, fast and had a wide knowledge of his own deadly spells. Their skill level was close, he could best her and vice versa in different situations, but in her anger, she would certainly lose to someone who was so in control of his emotions, and Bellatrix was not one to lose.

She looks into his eyes, their faces just a few centimetres apart, her body curving into his. She will choose her battles wisely and there will be another day to knock him down for his insolence towards her.

But she will not back down without saying the last word. She opens her mouth to give one more scathing remark but her words die in her throat when his mouth is suddenly on hers. Maybe he is in control of his emotions but possibly not his hormones. His kiss is deep and hard, there is no love present, just adrenaline and testosterone. His hands find purchase at the base of her head, his fingers threading through her curly hair as he pulls her face into his.

She should push him away from her, take advantage of his stupor to curse him for touching her, for saying such things about her, but she sees a benefit to be had here.

She takes control, pushing the man until his back hits the stone wall of the training room, her hands working nimbly on the buttons on the front of his robes. She admires, practically revels, in the way his eyes watch her diligently and impatiently, his lips wanting to attach to her own once she's done. But she's the one in the charge now, he is at her mercy. Maybe she was as egotistical and controlling as he said.


End file.
